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Fiona Ingram

Goodreads author profile

url

http://www.goodreads.com/Fiona_Ingram

born

Durban, South Africa

gender

female

website

http://www.fionaingram.com

genre

Children's Books, Literature & Fiction, History

influences

My interest in ancient history, children's classics, and authors such...more

member since

September 2009

About this author

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I can’t remember NOT having a book in my hand. My schoolmates called me a bookworm, and nothing’s changed since then. I was brought up on the children’s classics because my parents are also avid readers. My earliest story-telling talents came to the fore when, from the age of ten, I entertained my three younger brothers and their friends with serialized tales of children undertaking dangerous and exciting exploits, which they survived through courage and ingenuity (of course!). Ghosts, vampires, werewolves, and skeletons leaping out of coffins were hot favourites in the cast of characters that populated “Gruesome Gables” where all these adventures were played out. We also acted out the stories for my long-suffering parents, whom I see now w...more I can’t remember NOT having a book in my hand. My schoolmates called me a bookworm, and nothing’s changed since then. I was brought up on the children’s classics because my parents are also avid readers. My earliest story-telling talents came to the fore when, from the age of ten, I entertained my three younger brothers and their friends with serialized tales of children undertaking dangerous and exciting exploits, which they survived through courage and ingenuity (of course!). Ghosts, vampires, werewolves, and skeletons leaping out of coffins were hot favourites in the cast of characters that populated “Gruesome Gables” where all these adventures were played out. We also acted out the stories for my long-suffering parents, whom I see now were remarkably tolerant of my budding thespian and script-writing talents!
I graduated from the University of Natal, Durban, South Africa, with a double first in my B.A. (French & Drama). After completing my Honors in Drama at Natal, I then went to the University of the Witwatersrand to do my Masters degree in French-African literature. I also studied drama at The Drama Studio in London and mime at L’Ecole Jacques le Coq in Paris. Upon my return to South Africa, I immersed myself in teaching drama at community centres, and became involved in producing community and grassroots theatre with local playwrights and performers in Natal for several years.
A move to Johannesburg took me in a new direction—that of journalism. I have written freelance for the last fifteen years on everything from serial killers to relationship advice (making me a popular dinner guest to revive any flagging conversations). Writing a children’s book—The Secret of the Sacred Scarab—was an unexpected step, inspired by a recent trip to Egypt. The tale of the sacred scarab began life as a little anecdotal tale for my 2 nephews (then 10 and 12), who had accompanied me on the Egyptian trip. We had a marvellous time and it truly was the catalyst in changing my career. This short story grew into a children’s book, the first in the adventure series, Chronicles of the Stone. After the usual spate of rejections from snobby (British) agents, which I believe it every writer’s baptism of fire, I discovered America and made the decision to be published there. The book has done well there, even though the young heroes are South African, and has already garnered two impressive fiction nominations.
I’m already immersed in the next book in the series—The Search for the Stone of Excalibur—a huge treat for young King Arthur fans (and older ones as well). Although I do not have children of my own, I have an adopted teenage foster child, from an underprivileged background who is just discovering the joys of reading for pleasure. My interests include literature, art, theatre, collecting antiques, animals, music, movies, and wondering when I am going to be the next J.K. Rowling.
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157 posts
Fiona Ingram's Blog

Book Review: A Boy and his Dragon

Bradley Wallace Murphy just turned thirteen, and life sucks. He doesn’t fit in at school, he’s no good at sports, a bully torments him, he’s a disappointment to his parents, and his only “friends” are fictional characters on a TV show called “Dark Shadows.” He’s growing up but wants to stay a boy, like Peter Pan. Then he finds the egg and everything changes. From this egg hatches Whilly, a supp... Read more of this blog post »

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Published on May 19, 2013 02:24

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Fiona Ingram's Books

Average rating: 4.41 · 44 ratings · 27 reviews · 2 distinct works · Similar authors

	The Secret of the Sacred Scarab 4.45 of 5 stars 4.45 avg rating — 40 ratings — published 2008 — 6 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	This Enchanted Land: The Saga of Dane Wulfdin by William P. Robertson (Author), Fiona Ingram (Goodreads Author), David A. Cox (Illustrator) 4.0 of 5 stars 4.00 avg rating — 4 ratings — published 2010 — 3 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

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Fiona’s Writing

The Secret of the Sacred Scarab (Children's Books)

1 chapters — updated Nov 21, 2009 03:58am

Description: A thrilling adventure for two young boys, whose fun trip to Egypt turns into a dangerously exciting quest to uncover an ancient and mysterious secret. A 5000-year-old mystery comes to life when a scruffy peddler gives Adam and Justin Sinclair an old Egyptian scarab on their very first day in Egypt. Justin and Adam embark upon the adventure of a lifetime, taking them down the Nile and across the harsh desert in their search for the legendary tomb of the Scarab King, an ancient Egyptian ruler. With just their wits, courage, and each other, the boys manage to survive … only to find that the end of one journey is the beginning of another!

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Fiona's Recent Updates

Fiona Ingram wrote a new blog post Book Review: A Boy and his Dragon Bradley Wallace Murphy just turned thirteen, and life sucks. He doesn’t fit in at school, he’s no good at sports, a bully torments him, he’s a disa... Read more of this blog post »
19 hours, 58 min ago · like
Fiona Ingram rated a book 4 of 5 stars A Boy and His Dragon by Michael J. Bowler (Goodreads Author) read in May, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Bradley Wallace Murphy just turned thirteen, and life sucks. He doesn’t fit in at school, he’s no good at sports, a bully torments him, he’s a disappointment to his parents, and his only “friends” are fictional characters on a TV show called “Dark Sh...more
May 19, 2013 01:57am · see review
Fiona Ingram rated a book 4 of 5 stars Seven Spectral: Red World (Seven Spectral #1) by Valerie Wicks read in May, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Emerald Drizzleweather Bogwater has an unfortunate name, unfortunate red hair, and an unfortunate tendency to rebel. When she escapes her small, dull, slow village (where everyone and everything is in shades of green) to see the world, she discovers...more
May 17, 2013 08:22am · see review
Fiona Ingram rated a book 4 of 5 stars Under the Universe by Dr Karen Hutchins Pirnot read in May, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
In the first book of the Skymasters series, (Galaxy Girl), preteen Allie Henderson discovers an intergalactic visitor named Eilla, who looks just like her. She is Allie's galactic cousin from a parallel universe. In the second book, Under the Univers...more
May 11, 2013 02:48am · see review
Fiona Ingram rated a book 4 of 5 stars Capitol Hell by Alicia M. Long (Goodreads Author) read in May, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Capitol Hell tells the story of Allison Amundson, a small town girl who lands the highly sought after job of scheduler to the newly-elected and rising star of the US Senate, Senator Anders McDermott III. If you thought politics is all fundraisers and...more
May 02, 2013 09:15am · see review
Fiona Ingram liked Cheryl Carpinello's review of Guinevere: On the Eve of Legend: " I loved writing "Guinevere: On the Eve of Legend." Developing a picture of a young girl, too young to really know love, filled what I perceived as a missing part of the legend. My whole purpose in writing this was to introduce young readers (ages... " Read more of this review »
Apr 27, 2013 11:20pm · see review
Fiona Ingram voted for 1 books on the list YA Books With Arthurian Legend Vote on this list »
Apr 27, 2013 11:20pm · like
Fiona Ingram rated a book 5 of 5 stars Survivors of Atlantis: Their Impact on World Culture by Frank Joseph read in April, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Atlantis. Just the name conjures up mysteries and undiscovered secrets of a past, magnificent, and now fallen civilization. Unsurprisingly, in modern times, countless books have been written on the subject; numerous movies have been made; and just as...more
Apr 27, 2013 04:38am · see review
Fiona Ingram rated a book 4 of 5 stars The Gordonston Ladies Dog Walking Club by Duncan Whitehead (Goodreads Author) read in April, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
When Thelma Miller dies, everything changes in the leafy Savannah neighborhood of Gordonston. Her three closest friends and fellow members of her afternoon cocktail club (aka Gordonston Ladies Dog Walking Club) gather to mourn the death and lament th...more
Apr 16, 2013 05:59am · see review

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Topics Mentioning This Author

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South African Boo...: The Secret of the Sacred Scarab	1	8	Nov 21, 2009 05:27am

Quotes Fiona Likes

“The end of man is knowledge, but there is one thing he can't know. He can't know whether knowledge will save him or kill him. He will be killed, all right, but he can't know whether he is killed because of the knowledge which he has got or because of the knowledge which he hasn't got and which if he had it, would save him.”
― Robert Penn Warren, All the King's Men

1,088 people liked it